Tag Archives: Judaism

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Jewish Music Continues into 2024

This past May I had the pleasure of attending the 77 th Cantors Assembly Conference in Minneapolis, MN. It was an amazing experience to join with my colleagues from across the country, Canada, and South America. At the conference I was able to participate in concerts, teach, and speak. It truly was an opportunity for renewal of music and spirituality and to get to see what my Colleagues from other places are doing and singing within their communities. It also was an opportunity to hear old “traditional” melodies in a new way and to learn new music together. One would ask why is it important to create new melodies or even reinvigorate older melodies? We can find the answer to this in our Torah and in the teachings of past Rabbis and Hazzanim.

Shiru La-Doshem Shir Chadash – “Sing to G-d a song that is new” (translation from Sidur Simhat Y’Hoshu’a – the Schottenstein Edition Page 64). Throughout the Torah and in all of our prayers the Hebrew Word Shir ( or Shirim plural) is translated as “song(s)”. The torah tells us that it was important for us to sing praise to G-d, whether it be the Hazzan singing on behalf of the Congregation, or as a community, joining the Hazzan (Ba’al T’fillah – the leader of prayer) in praise.

We find examples of music throughout the history of Jewish worship. Even the chanting of our sacred texts is done in a melodic, sweet way to convey the message of G-d to the people and turn our thoughts, prayers, hopes, and desires to G-d. You may wonder where some of the music came from in our synagogue liturgy. In early times it was based on what the Temple choir would sing in Jerusalem. “The earliest synagogal music was based on the same system as that used in the Temple in Jerusalem. According to the Talmud, Joshua ben Hananiah, who had served in the sanctuary Levitical choir, told how the choristers went to the synagogue from the orchestra by the altar…..” (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_religious_Jewish_music) .

During the time of the first and second Temples, temple music was the center of all music in our society. After the fall of the Temples and the removal of Jews from the promised land, it was decided that all music would be banned. Though eventually this ban was lifted for religious purposes and music was added back into worship services. Eventually music (including instruments) was allowed at various celebrations including weddings and other simchas that were not on Shabbat or Holy Days.

When liturgical poems (Piyyutim) were added to the worship service, fixed melodies used on a regular basis began to appear in Synagogue music and prayers which helped people to learn the prayers of the services. The Ba’al T’filah (the Cantor / Hazzan) would lead communities in prayer, helping each person learn each prayer and gain a deeper understanding of the service.

Singing has always been vital to praising G-d. We see this in the Torah, notably in the Song of the Sea, when, after crossing the Sea of Reeds and the waters rush over the Egyptian Army, the Israelites are led in song praising the triumph of G-d. Even in the N’Vi’im (HafTorah), our prophets encouraged singing to G-d for the great things that he has done for us. King David was known as the “Sweet Singer of Israel” for his talents with music, lyrics and musical instruments. “Music is the most immaterial and ephemeral of all art forms. We can’t see music, we can’t grasp it in our hands, but we can feel it working through us and the world. As such, music represents our connection to the divine, to each other, to everything.” (source: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/why-music-is-fundamental-tojewish-prayer/). If we look to the Gematria, the number value for song (Shirah) and prayer (tefillah) are identical. One could say that to make the most of our prayers they should be sung. In the Talmud in section Berakoht 6a it is noted “Where there is song, there is prayer…” (ibid). Prophets like Elisha were able to prophesize when music was played. When we teach our children the Sh’ma, we teach it with a melody. This simple tune has two functions. First, the idea that music helps the human brain by reaching areas that we rarely use and secondly, it helps make us better, deeper, thinkers. When we sing a prayer, we deepen it’s meaning and it becomes something more, something holy, something spiritual that puts us into a more thoughtful frame of mind as we pray.

When we use our voices and instruments to pray, we become united as a group of people sharing in not just the notes and the words, but in a collective spiritual elevation. Think of how you feel when you sing the Sh’ma out loud, or how much fun it is to sing a chorus of “Hava Narisha, Rash, Rash, Rash!” to the Chag Purim song during Purim.. Each of our responses to music is individual to us, however through music we have the ability to connect with each other. We also connect with G-d, through the melodies of the T’fillah and the notes of the song which are sung. As a Hazzan, I try through the artistry of my profession to help create a feeling of meditation and of the majesty of the moment. Each community develops a distinct voice over time and as I have gotten to know and understand the voice of our community we have been able to create moments in prayer that are truly spiritual and authentic.
May the summer months bring us all a sense of calm and peace, and may our voices join together in spiritual song and harmonies.

Musically Yours in Peace:
Cantor Steve Hevenstone

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Pesach Message 5784 / 2024

A Zissen Pesach to All! 

During the Holiday of Passover, we remember the time we were slaves in Egypt and how G-d delivered us from slavery through Moses and his brother Aaron.  During this holiday we sit together at our Seders, reading the Haggadah, and having a sumptuous meal with family and friends.  We retell the story and state that we will never forget that we were slaves and we had no rights.  As we come upon our season of Freedom from slavery we must take the time to remember those who are not free.  Israel tells us that more than 130 hostages remain and about a quarter of those are believed dead.  This travesty in modern times should not be forgotten during the joy of our Seders, but instead should be an opportunity for all of us to remember the hostages, and remember that though we are free, there are those who are not.  We ask during our Seders for families to have an empty chair at the Seder table with a picture of a hostage.  We mention their name so that in our celebration we do not forget.  To see a list of hostages you can go to this link: https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/12/04/who-are-hostages-still-being-held-captive-gaza/

We also must be aware that antisemitism is rearing its ugly head once again.  Violent antisemitism and hatred did not end with the Holocaust and are on the rise.  We must ask the question Why won’t antisemitism die, or at least die down? 

Not only should we remember the hostages taken on October 7, 2023, but we should also be aware of antisemitism in our schools, our universities, in politics, in public places.  But even through this hatred surging around us we will still have our Seders, we will still go to Synagogue, many of us proudly wear our Magen David, and many are proud to wear a Kippah.  We should make sure that even with the negativity that is around, we are proud that we are Jewish, we are proud that our people have stood the test of time, and that we continue with our traditions, L’Dor VaDor, from generation to generation. 

When we break our middle Matzah, and put the larger half away for the Afikomen, the other half traditionally has been called the “Bread of Affliction” that our forebears ate due to the bread not rising.  That smaller half should now be called the “Bread of Courage and Strength” – that even as antisemitism rises and we pray for the release of the hostages, we have the strength and the courage to be who we are and stand proud and strong. 

May your Seders bring you joy, peace, family, friendship, and song.

Chag Pesach Sameah! 

Cantor Steve, Kathy, Nathan, and Aaron Hevenstone

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Setting Jewish Priorities in our Modern Age

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Our Minyan had a wonderful experience the other evening.  There was a family program in our Synagogue which ended just prior to our evening Minyan.  There were many families who attended this wonderful program.  As I was coming in to set up the Minyan room vehicles were leaving the Synagogue parking lot.  One family however came into the Minyan room.  They wanted to make sure that there would be a Minyan as the roads were once again covered in a little snow and ice.  This family has two children, one recently Bar Mitzvah and the younger still a couple of years away. 

 

What I found inspiring was the younger child asked why they had to stay, and the father noted that it was important to make sure that there would be a Minyan of 10 adults for those who need to say Mourner’s Kaddish.  They were already at the Synagogue, and instead of leaving like the other families, they felt it would be a priority to help make the Minyan. 

 

Today, families find themselves torn in different directions.  What once was a priority no longer is seen as important. When I grew up the Synagogue was an important part of my life.  Families made it a priority not only to belong to a Synagogue and train for Bar/Bat Mitzvah, but to be the center of their Jewish lives.  My Synagogue was a bustle of activity with young families abound, children in the halls, not just for Religious School or tutoring, but for youth events, for concerts, or even just to hang out with the Rabbi and the Cantor.  We wanted to be there.  Not because our generation was extremely religious, but because it was our Synagogue.  It was our second home, a place where we were comfortable. 

 

This comfortable feeling we had for our Synagogue, and our Clergy, was created by our parents who made it a priority to bring us to Religious School, to get us involved with youth groups, to secure in us, the next generation, a strong Jewish identity.  It does not mean that every one of us became Rabbis, Cantors, or Jewish leaders.  What it did was pass down to us, the next generation, those Jewish values which defined us as American Jews.  Though it must not have been easy for our parents to run us to these events at our Synagogue, they felt it important that those values, those traditions, that sense of Jewish self and confidence, be passed on to our generation, L’Dor Vador (Generation to generation). 

 

So what has happened?  Why have the Synagogues, and that strong sense of Judaism become less of a priority?  Where has the succeeding generations of parents failed and where has our movement failed?  These are questions that I am sure others have better answers, or maybe they do not. 

 

This family I speak about above is very much like my family.  Their Synagogue, their Jewish identity, their Jewish values are important, and they pass those values to their children.  They are not extremely religious however the Synagogue is a large part of their lives.  They encourage their older child to be active in the youth programming in the Synagogue, to be active in reading the Torah on Shabbat as part of the Synagogue’s Yad Squad.  They also encourage him to continue to lead services with me when there is no Bar/Bat Mitzvah being celebrated.  This is one family – and I can say that there are others in my Synagogue who share this value.

 

The Jewish identity of our children, of the future generation, starts at the home.  It is not just the responsibility of one parent, but both parents.  Parents should be living by example, making the Synagogue a center of their lives.  In today’s world, with the Internet making the world smaller, with other organizations out there vying for our support, our attention, our time, it makes it that much harder.  However for the next generation to have that connection with the Synagogue, that connection with their Jewish identity, families need to lead by example. 

 

Another issue is even more troubling.  Many Synagogues over the last decade have cut the time of Religious School.  When I was younger my Religious School was three afternoons a week, Shabbat attendance (Friday night and Saturday morning), and Sunday mornings.  However today, families find themselves torn in many different directions.  Instead of standing ground and having our children make the Synagogue the center, we split everything.  Today, if Synagogues do not adjust the amount of time and days that students need to attend Synagogue, families go somewhere else that gives less. 

 

The Synagogues, to keep membership happy, change their programs to fewer days, less attendance at Shabbat, and less learning.  Then when a child comes up for Bar/Bat Mitzvah and they struggle with the Hebrew, they struggle with the Judaic concepts, and the Synagogue gets the blame.  The troubling aspect in this goes with the fact that it was the families which insist on fewer days, less learning, less time, however they are expecting their children to be as knowledgeable as they were when they went three days a week, plus Sunday mornings, plus more Shabbat attendance.  Even in our technologically advanced society that can-not work.  It is a recipe for mediocrity. 

 

So how do we, as leaders in the Jewish Community, as parents raising our children in this modern age, how do we solve this dilemma?  Is there an easy fix?  Can we just go back to the old ways or should we look for more advanced ways to make the Synagogue, and L’Dor Vador, once again, the center of Jewish Life?  These are questions which we need to ask ourselves, not only as leaders of the Jewish Community, but as Jewish Parents. 

 

Generations from now, if we keep on this track, will the Synagogues only be Museums?  Places people attend on a school trip as an anachronism, a thing of the past.  Is that what we want for our children, and their children, and generations beyond?  Or do we want to pass down our wonderful rich heritage of a full and rich Jewish life which goes hand in hand with our modern, ever changing world? 

 

Make the Synagogue a priority, have your children, your grandchildren, get to know their Rabbi and Cantor.  Have them come to services and participate.  Have them attend their Religious School.  Go to Jewish Museums; take them on trips to Israel.  Celebrate the holidays as if they were each not only special, but life growing experiences for our children.  L’Dor Vador – keep the flame going, don’t let the light go out (as stated in Peter Yarrow’s wonderful song).  Not only as leaders, but as parents, let us work together to bring our wonderful culture, our values, our beliefs, to being number one in our lives.  Not only as something for our children, but for ourselves. 

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